More than 10,000 illegal cigarettes, 100 litres of spirits and potentially deadly cigarette lighters have been seized from three premises in Staffordshire in raids by trading standards and customs officer.

Most of the products seized were non-duty paid but there were also a number of counterfeit items including dangerous cigarette lighters which don’t refill and where the gas cut-off is suspect and flame adjuster faulty.

Staffordshire County Council Trading Standards, Revenue & Customs and a representative from the tobacco industry visited six small shops in the Burton area and found illegal alcohol and/or tobacco at half of them.

County Councillor Carol Dean, cabinet member for safer communities, said: “This operation in Burton demonstrates that we are committed to working closely with other agencies to crack down on the sale of illegal and counterfeit goods in Staffordshire.

“We will take appropriate enforcement action against persistent offenders, and traders at the three premises in Burton are currently under investigation.

“We will be organising similar operations throughout the county so the warning is out there to people selling these goods that there is a real risk of being caught.”

Chris Bagley, detection manager for Revenue & Customs, said: “Those involved should be aware we have effective teams operating in Staffordshire and the West Midlands.”